Event

Surviving an Epic Play-Off Battle

The Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament presented the longest playoff in Asian Development Tour history with an Argentinean for the first time taking home an ADT title.

Winning an international event is a milestone in every professional player's journey. However, for Miguel Carballo of Argentina, claiming the trophy at the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament presented by Panasonic as his maiden Asian Development Tour (ADT) title will not be all he remembers about the experience. Carballo is not likely to forget the long battle he fought to secure it.

Saturday, August 25, is sure to be the best day in Carballo’s golf career so far. The 39-year-old, who is playing his first year in Asia after coming through Qualifying School in January, pursued a six-shot deficit by carding eight birdies against no bogey to score 64 (8-under) at the BSD Course by Damai Indah Golf.

Finishing the last round, Carballo shared the lead with two young guns, Amir Nazrin of Malaysia and Poom Pattaropong of Thailand. The trio was tied on 16-under-par, 272, in regulation play at the US$110,000 ADT event, so had to proceed to a playoff to determine the winner.

After Nazrin was eliminated on the first playoff hole on the par-five 18th, Carballo and Poom continued their battle over six more holes. It was only on the seventh hole of the playoff that Carballo was able to eventually stop Poom’s bid for the title by holing his third putt while Poom missed a 10-footer.

This playoff is the longest of its kind in ADT history since the secondary circuit was inaugurated in 2010. The lengthy playoff also matches the longest record set on the premier Asian Tour in 2001.

“I am very happy. I came close a lot of times this year and I am glad I finally did it. I guess the experiences from the last few near-misses have helped,” said Carballo, who missed only one green in regulation in his closing 64, to Asian Tour.

“To be honest, I was very nervous, especially on the first few playoff holes. But I managed to stay composed after that. I wasn’t feeling tired. I was just getting a massive adrenaline rush which kept me going out there. Poom and Amir played really well too,” added Carballo.

Carballo becomes the first Argentinean to win on the ADT following his breakthrough victory. He takes home a winner’s prize purse of US$19,250 and receives six Official World Golf Ranking points.